Saving You
by C.Queen
Summary: Teddy Lupin is currently in possession of the weirdest cat he's ever met, and his best friend has also recently got one that's equally...unique and unusual. This is no coincidence though, because both cats are in fact former wizards with ulterior motives of their own, as well as trying to protect their idiot 'owners' from a new threat to Hogwarts' students.
1. This Mission

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Thanks for reading, let me know if this idea interests you as I know it's weird.

This Mission

Seventeen year old Head Boy Teddy Lupin was quite convinced that he was current owner of the strangest cat to ever prowl the Earth. As a major animal lover he had multiple pets at home that his grandmother somewhat grudgingly took care of for him while he was at Hogwarts, and Teddy had thought he had a pretty good grasp on how various animals, including cats, thought. Until Noir. The one year old, pure black cat had shown up at his house at the end of July in the rain, his grandmother the first to spot the feline through the window, watching them. Naturally he'd gone out to get it, and when no one had claimed the cat he'd decided to add it to his personal menagerie. Giving the cat to someone else had been out of the question when it became very clear that Noir was one of those cats that hated just about everyone. He alone was allowed to so much as touch his majesty, everyone else getting warning hisses that could and did eventually end in claws and bites if he wasn't taken seriously. But that wasn't what made Noir so strange, being bitchy wasn't unusual for a cat, but other…quirks his cat possessed made Noir very unique.

For starters Noir followed him everywhere, but not because he wanted affection or was curious by nature. He just did, like he was guarding him from something. And yet unlike other cats he'd had Noir never followed him into the loo, never groomed himself where anyone could watch him, and he stole food from the table and pantries with a skill that was now legendary among his family and friends because not even his grandmother had been able to catch Noir at it once. And NOTHING got by Andromeda Black Tonks for long. She'd even set traps, and he'd gotten through them without any problems.

Because even more strange than his often odd behavior was how smart the cat was. You could look in his eyes and actually see the intelligence in the black orbs that stared back at you, Noir's irises so dark that at first, second and third glance you usually missed the fact that he did have cat's eyes. Noir was so odd his grandmother had casted some spells to make sure that Noir wasn't a wizard in disguise or being controlled in some way before agreeing to let him keep the thing provided he took it to Hogwarts with him once school started.

The two didn't get along, obviously.

So here he was, patrolling the Hogwarts Express on the way to his final year at the school, with a cat perched on his shoulder. He'd put the cat in a carrier and left it in a compartment with Victoire and his other cousins, but not ten minutes after that someone had yelped loudly behind him, Teddy turning around to find a second year clutching a bleeding hand having made the mistake of trying to pick Noir up. When he'd walked over and crouched down to pick the badly behaved feline up Noir had jumped up, ran up his arm, and taken his present seat on his shoulder, digging in his claws in a warning as to what would happen if he was moved.

Bloody cat.

Luckily for the both of them he had a very well developed appreciation of the absurd, as well as no problem making a fool of himself for the amusement of others. It came from growing up surrounded by Weasleys, who'd adopted him into their clan by way of his godfather. So he tolerated the weird looks, questions, and pointed fingers as various students caught sight of his shoulder's decoration, Noir displaying his usual gracefulness by not once nearly sliding off his perch, his head turning this way and that as though he were patrolling the compartments as well.

"Teddy!"

Turning around again Teddy raised a hand in greeting, cutting Victoire off before she could apologize for letting Noir escape the compartment. "Don't worry about it, nothing keeps Noir out if he wants something. I should have known better than to think he'd stay with you lot while I went patrolling."

"But how did he get out?! The carrier was locked and we'd closed the door." Openly glaring at Noir Victoire Weasley made no effort to hide the fact that she pretty much hated Teddy's newest pet, a feeling that was utterly reciprocated on Noir's part.

Which was just another reason he shouldn't have left the cat behind, Teddy silently acknowledged, regardless of what a nuisance Noir could be even when he wasn't trying to be. Heaven help you when he was actively trying to drive you over the edge.

"Look, don't worry about it, trying to figure out how the little escape artist does it will-."

Whack, Teddy found himself being bitch slapped across his cheek by one furry paw.

Noir did not like to be called little.

"Dammit, Noir!" Reaching over Teddy grabbed the feline by the back of his neck and holding onto the scruff brought Noir over so that they were eye to eye, the cat glaring right back at him, as well as giving a low hiss of warning. "I've told you not to bitch slap me!"

The look in the cat's eyes almost seemed to say that he'd been telling him not to call him little even longer.

"That cat is a menace, Teddy. You should get rid of him. Or pawn him off on someone who hasn't the sense to know pure evil when he sees it! Give him to a Slytherin!"

"He doesn't like Slytherins. Or at least he doesn't like my grandmother. You don't like anyone, do you, Noir?"

Narrowed eyes, and then Noir's front paws came up again, though they just brush against Teddy's cheeks without claws or dark intent behind them. Other than purring and leaning into strokes delivered by Teddy, this was about as affectionate as Noir ever got.

Smiling in spite of himself, it was somewhat flattering that he was the lone person in the universe Noir didn't hate with cold, icy distain, Teddy leaned in to rub noses with the feline before placing his cat back on his shoulder, knowing too much affection would get him nothing but scratches.

"Go ahead and head back, Tori. I've got him."

Muttering something that sounded a great deal like a wish that she could throw Noir off the train, Victoire worked up a bright smile for him and then sauntered off, a number of male students pressing their faces against the glass or opening up their compartment doors to stick their heads out so that they could better appreciate the view before she disappeared from sight.

)

If cats could roll their eyes Regulus would have done so. Today's youth, they were a complete and total disgrace. He would have washed his hands of any blood relation who behaved the way these young hooligans did these days. Of course Teddy wasn't the most shining example of what a wizard should be either, but he was a good boy overall. Or at least tolerable to be around, which was more than he could say about a lot of people he'd been forced to meet since Teddy attracted people like bees to honey. Like that Victoire Weasley girl. He absolutely despised her. Thinking that she could be the next Mrs. Teddy Lupin, hah. Over his dead and rotting cat corpse. Not that that was why he'd been assigned to be Teddy's guardian beast of course, but he still saw it as part of his duty. There wouldn't be a lot of point in saving the Hufflepuff from whatever dark force was apparently going to threaten his Blood traitor cousin's grandson in the future after all, if the boy ended up marrying that bossy blonde trollop who wasn't even entirely human!

And yes, he wasn't human at the moment either, but he was going to be. That was why he was stuck in this body in the first place. Because he not only didn't believe he would fail, but was willing to accept the consequences if he did. Most people stuck in his position, unable to enter either heaven or hell, remained stuck in between the two planes of existence for the rest of their miserable afterlives, clinging pathetically to the hope that eventually they would reach a spiritual understanding of their previous actions that would lead to their admittance into heaven.

Not him though. He'd taken the route of agreeing to be Teddy's guardian when the position was offered to him. If he succeeded in protecting the boy, as well as behaving in a manner that pleased those in charge of such things, he would eventually be able to shift from a cat into a human being again and have a chance of living in the real world as a man once more.

The catch was, because there was always a catch, that he had a cat's lifespan to live and prove himself, and failure meant not only death, but the end of his soul completely. Ordinary animals, after all, didn't have a soul that could go on after death. Regulus Black would cease to exist, once and for all.

But unlike most, who couldn't bear the idea of a permanent end, Regulus was just fine with that. He had no one waiting for him in heaven that he wanted to see, and the only one who would mourn him was his mother. And then there was Kreacher, the former Slytherin mentally added, though he had no ideas if house elves lived on too. The house elf was still alive though, and he'd take his elf back once he was human again. If he became human again.

Because the chance to live again, to do all the things he'd planned to do before he'd been forced to end his own life…for that he would risk everything even if he ended up in limbo again after his second death. Which was admittedly most likely given the fact that people both alive and dead tended not to like him, but so long as he lived first he was fine with that.

Lost in thought Regulus jolted back to awareness when he felt familiar hands on him, instinctively fighting the urge to draw blood as he was once again lifted off Teddy's shoulder, and then settled into the crook of the Hufflepuff's arm like he was a baby.

"Quit glaring at me, you're just fine. It's more normal for me to carry you like this. You aren't a bloody parrot, you know."

Obviously, Regulus thought dryly, shaking his head but tolerating this new position since constantly fighting with the boy would only end with him being given away to someone else or dropped off at a pet store. He knew Teddy was too soft hearted to outright abandon him.

It was actually embarrassing really, how sweet and gentle the boy was. A Hufflepuff, no less. In the Black family. A complete and total scandal really, and that was before you factored in the boy's less than ideal ancestry on both sides thanks to Andromeda's abominable taste in men.

And yet…and yet Regulus couldn't help but…feel somewhat positive towards his descendant. It was impossible not to really. The boy was so absurdly likable, to the point where he got along with pretty much everyone regardless of age or house, and never had Regulus known someone so…truly good, to their very core. It set his Slytherin, Black teeth on edge at times, but it was impossible for him not to care for Teddy.

Hufflepuff or not.

"Soon we'll be at Hogwarts, and you'll have lots of new enemies to make." Teddy murmured to him, the boy's free hand moving to stroke his fur. "You could even win some points with the others if you kept Mrs. Norris the Second busy so that she isn't tracking us all the time."

Oh but Teddy knew how to pet a person, Regulus thought as he moved into the caresses, this being one of the very best things about being stuck with the boy. Not even embarrassed anymore by the purrs he couldn't seem to hold in, Regulus let loose and rumbled away like the motor of that stupid motorcycle his brother had been so proud of.

"There's my good boy. See, you need to show this side of you more often."

Ignoring the comment, he'd promised himself recently that he would only lash out if Teddy called him little, Regulus reminded himself why he tolerated these annoying shows of affection above and beyond the obvious reasons.

He had a job to do and he sure as Merlin couldn't accomplish anything if he was magically confined to his cat carrier or Teddy's room for the safety of the other Hogwarts students. Not that he couldn't get out of either of those places, he could, but it wasted valuable energy and time on his part, when he had to use magic to get out of said situations without being seen.

His orders were not to let Teddy out of his sight, and he had every intention of following that directive until he was human again.

)

In general Teddy got along with everyone, from the most popular to the outcasts, so having a cat that repelled people as thoroughly as Noir did was more than a little troublesome in the Hufflepuff's opinion. He had a feeling that he was going to have to get a T-shirt that warned people against trying to get near his pet, though how he'd get the cat to wear it and not tear it to shreds within seconds of being put in it was currently beyond him. He'd had a devil of a time getting the cat to accept the collar that was currently around the feline's neck, the bell originally attached to it long gone. He'd searched everywhere, and replaced the damn thing three times, but the bells always went missing.

Noir liked to sneak up on people.

Looking down at said cat, who was currently blissed out from his petting and looked completely harmless and adorable, Teddy shook his head over how appearances could be so very deceiving and then continued his walk through of the train before heading out, having confirmed that all the students had left their compartments now that they'd arrived at Hogwarts.

His job done Teddy left the train for the still somewhat crowded platform, returning the wave he got from Hagrid since it was never hard to pick his Care of Magical Creatures out of a crowd.

"Wotcher, Hagrid." Teddy called out, weaving through the students who were still milling around, careful to make sure that none of them accidentally bumped him and set Noir off. He preferred to keep the cat in a peaceful frame of mind for as long as humanly possible.

"Good ta see ya, Teddy." Hagrid assured him once he'd made it over, giving the boy's currently magenta hair an affectionate rub with one hand while pointing to Noir with the other. "And this must be the cat you were telling me about at Harry's birthday party. Noir you said?"

"Yeah, but don't try and touch him." Teddy warned, knowing that Hagrid would be inclined to do so despite the stories he'd told the man about Noir's personality disorder. "He'll maim you."

"Ah, I've heard that before, Teddy and-"

"No, seriously, Hagrid. He's more vicious than a Norwegian Ridgeback."

Noir lifted his head up then, meeting Hagrid's gaze squarely, in a way that had both Teddy and Hagrid thinking that the feline was currently plotting very bad things.

"Blimey…got a powerful stare, doesn't he? Could probably win a staring contest with the Headmistress."

Imagining Professor McGonagall and Noir having a staring contest amused the heck out of Teddy, especially since his cat had won every contest he'd had with Grandmother. The little bugger just did not back down or blink, his grandmother of the opinion that Noir had more ego and pride than ten Slytherins put together.

He'd made the mistake of saying that maybe Noir had been a Black in another lifetime then, which had gotten him nothing but vegetables for a whole week. And not good vegetables either.

Telling Hagrid that story had them both laughing, completely unaware of the real reason Noir was smirking at them from Teddy's arms.

"There you are, Teddy, we were wondering what was keeping you. Hello, Hagrid."

"Allan!"

)

Well aware that Allan was Teddy's best friend, they'd yet to meet due to the fact that the supposedly brilliant boy had spent his last month before school in America visiting his father's family, Noir took advantage of the fact that Teddy was looking in the Gryffindor's direction to get a good look at the very tall redhead who he'd seen pictures of and read letters from. And then his attention shifted completely over to the fact that boy also had a cat in his arms. A Siamese cat with brown eyes that were locked on his own, both recognizing at the same moment what the other was.

They'd both come here to Hogwarts with a job to do, and now they knew it was severe enough that not one but two at least partially damned souls had been brought back to this plane of existence.

While Allan explained why he had the cat, especially since he'd managed to weasel his way out of taking any from Teddy before, the two cats eyed each other for a few moments more before Regulus figured that he might as well introduce himself since he was betting that they were going to be spending a lot of time together whether they liked it or not.

"Regulus Black, though he calls me Noir."

"I see. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Though the other cat answered him in perfect English Regulus could hear the hint of a European accent so stifled he couldn't place it even as he strained to do so. "I am currently answering to the name Siam."

"And your actual name would be…?"

"Siam will do for now." Was the cat's enigmatic response. "And I believe I've already met the person we need to protect these two from, which I think is far more important for us to discuss."


	2. Target Acquired

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and all the situations said characters find themselves in. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy.

Target Acquired

In the Great Hall Regulus's first thought when he got a look at the boy Siam believed was their opponent in this battle they'd be fighting was that there was no way he could be bad enough to need two guardian beasts. His next thought was that yes, the exchange student from Beauxbatons had been sorted into Gryffindor, a definite strike against him, but there was a weak frailty to the boy that must have the school's bullies salivating like rabid animals in their seats. He'd never been the bully sort per say, but he'd hung out with more than his fair share of them in school and in the Death Eater's circles. He recognized their preferred prey. And yet…he wasn't about to discount Siam's opinion either. It wouldn't be the first time evil wore an innocent face after all, and the guy had been put into Gryffindor.

Unfortunately they were at different tables so all he could get at the moment was a visual, but he'd get more once the term started in the morning and he had time to roam and investigate things while Teddy was in class. He and Siam had set up a time to meet outside Gryffindor Tower, and then they were going to go through the guy's stuff as well as a pair of cats could.

Looking down at his paws Regulus scowled at them. They were bloody annoying and inconvenient as hell. But since he couldn't do anything about getting rid of said paws and the rest of the unfortunate form he'd been stuck in right now Regulus instead focused on what he had learned about the target thus far. He hadn't become one of the Dark Lord's most prized spies at such a young age by underestimating the importance of the small, often overlooked details.

Casper Binoche, seventh year, Gryffindor. Formerly a student of Beauxbatons, half British on his mother side. Pureblood in the sense that both his parents were of this world, the exact purity of his tree presently unknown. Sandy blond hair, pale green eyes, height and weight hard to judge from where he was but he'd estimate between five foot seven and five foot nine, around a hundred and forty pounds. The boy had fine, delicate features, almost androgynous really with that frail air that called to bullies and protectors alike.

That could be where Teddy came in, Regulus thought as he looked up at the Hufflepuff currently stuffing his face with food. Nothing roped Teddy in faster or more thoroughly than a wounded creature whether animal or human.

It was also now occurring to the Slytherin that the fact that he'd scorned pretty much every one of Teddy's acquaintance meant that him scorning Binoche wouldn't even registered with the Hufflepuff. He'd made a wrong move on this living chess board and he hated that. He was going to have to try and undo the damage there, Regulus mentally noted, though he did not like the idea of what he'd have to do in order to make his behavior towards Binoche stand out.

So instead he happily turning his attention to the small plate Teddy had just set down on the bench for him, Regulus neatly eating the shredded pieces of chicken that was his dinner. No stupid cat food for him, no siree. That stuff was disgusting and not fit for animal consumption, much less human. It had taken him a while to get that through Teddy's head, but he was glad to see that the training he'd given the boy hadn't been for nothing just because they were at Hogwarts.

It was so weird to be back at his former school, Regulus thought as he lifted his head to look around again, thinking it even more strange to look up to the front and not see Dumbledore at the head table. Not that he'd ever been a big fan of his former headmaster, he hadn't been, but he was actually getting a little nostalgic being back in the Great Hall like this. Now McGonagall sat in Dumbledore's chair, he'd actually gotten along with her decently enough. He'd gotten an Exceeding Expectations grade on his N.E.W.T.S for her class.

Of course back in the day he'd sat at the Slytherin table, but he didn't have a lot of respect for the offspring of the weak and spineless. He'd heard all about it a couple weeks ago, when Sirius's precious godson had dropped in to see his own godson and the two had discussed the fact that Potter's second son and Narcissa's grandson would be in the same year together. That had led to comments about his house that had made it clear that his house had been full of the weakest, most pathetic Slytherins his house had ever housed in Harry Potter's day. Deserting the school like that, running away when the Dark Lord and his followers had come to Hogwarts while even the Hufflepuffs stayed behind.

Shaking his head over that fact for the hundredth time Regulus turned his attention back to his food. He needed to become a man again if for no other reason than they needed real Slytherins in this world again.

)

After dinner Regulus found himself being carried once again, though he didn't struggle or make a sound of protest even though he really did hate not being able to walk about on his own two-four feet. He was going to behave better from now on, even if it killed him. Again. Plus he was on his way to the Hufflepuff common room, which he was a little interested in. He'd once heard a Mudblood first year from that house compare the rooms to hobbit holes, and while he had no idea what a hobbit was, he'd always remembered how much that fact had pleased the git. So he was interested in seeing these hobbit holes for himself.

Jaw dropping a little when Teddy went straight for a pile of barrels near the kitchen, poking at one of those barrels to make the passageway open, Regulus could hardly believe his eyes. This? This was the opening to Hufflepuff?

Oh for Merlin's sake.

Shaking his head Regulus listened as Teddy explained the rhythm of the tapping and where to tap to the first years, the fact that getting it wrong would lead you to being doused in vinegar from one of the barrels a small consolation to the exasperated Slytherin. To him this was the stupidest Common Room entrance he'd ever heard of in any of the wizarding schools, and he was embarrassed that he'd gone to school with students so dim witted they couldn't be expected to remember a simple password.

He was almost embarrassed on behalf of the Hufflepuffs who possessed half a brain. Almost.

Though he was willing to feel sorry for Teddy, Regulus decided, especially since the poor boy had already been stuck with something as pathetic as a badger for a house mascot.

Once they were actually in the common room Regulus had to admit that the décor of the place would somewhat make up for the embarrassment of being a Hufflepuff. It was actually very tasteful and lovely, reminding him of a summer house where light and flora were in abundance. Not that his family's summer residence had ever looked like this, but he'd been to others that had been. Andromeda's little hovel in the woods had had this feel too sometimes, mostly when she wasn't around to darken the corners.

And as per usual since he'd come back Regulus felt some painfully annoying stabs of both regret and sorrow for his cousin, though he did his best to push them aside by reminding himself that technically he was the only family member she'd lost to the first war when any action done by him had consequences. He hadn't been around to put her idiot Mudblood or Teddy's parents into harm's way. And he wouldn't have had he been alive because like it or not family mattered most to him. He might have cut all ties with Andromeda when she betrayed them all, but she'd still been a Black and of his blood. He'd have killed anyone who'd tried to end her life just because she'd been a silly girl with horrible taste in men.

Not that he'd forgiven her of course, for what she'd done. Blacks always held a grudge. Usually for life.

When Teddy set him down on one of the overstuffed couches, it was really comfortable, Regulus was not pleased to be told to stay but curled up anyway since he figured he might as well be comfortable while Teddy did the whole introduction to Hufflepuff. Keeping an ear out for any interesting information, the improved hearing one of the few things about being a cat he genuinely enjoyed, Regulus turned the other part of his mind to brainstorming how he was going to facilitate his coming and goings from this place. It was possible that the door was designed to let pets come and go as they pleased, but given the recent increase in wizards and witches with animagi forms Regulus figured he should have a Plan B. Though then again, given the incredibly simplicity of the Hufflepuff's entrance all he'd really need is a stick to replicate a wand and he'd be good to go.

Aware that someone had taken a seat on the other side of the couch, a little girl from his brief glance in that direction, Regulus was also aware that she was slowly edging closer to him. The closer she got the more wary he became, so that he couldn't ignore her and had to sit up and look in her direction to see what this little Hufflepuff was up to.

And then wished he hadn't.

Teary eyes, bottom lip trembling, a first year obviously, and one he was willing to guess had never been away from home for very long, much less by herself with no one with her that she knew and felt comfortable with. Knowing his luck she was probably a Mudblood too.

Glancing in Teddy's direction Regulus could see that the boy had indeed noticed the girl and was shooting her concerned looks while he lectured the other students. And looking back and forth between the two Regulus got an idea. One he really, really didn't like, but a thought that would probably help as part of his plan to reform his image a little.

Ugh. The things he had to do to become a wizard again.

Getting to his feet Regulus forced himself to close the small gap between him and the sniveling little girl, hopping into her lap and curling up there. He was not purring or nuzzling or-dammit.

Faster than a seeker going for a snitch, the girl had him in her arms, hugging him desperately against her chest while she made sniffling noises.

But Regulus thought of England and sucked it up, remaining loose in her arms and not fighting her hold even though he was pretty sure she'd be breaking ribs at the moment if she'd been stronger. When he looked over at Teddy he could see that the boy was both shocked and very pleased with him at the moment, which meant this was almost worth it. Almost. Because if it weren't for the fact that Teddy would probably try to give him another 'time out' for misbehavior in front of all the Hufflepuffs he'd probably be scratched the girl's face to get loose right now. He was not a teddy bear and being treated like one was worse than he'd imagined.

Finally Teddy was done with his lecture and the other students were dispersing to their respective dormitories, the Head Boy now able to come over and give the girl some one on one attention. Which meant that as soon as Teddy had taken a seat beside the girl Regulus wiggled out of her hold and quickly climbed his way up to Teddy's shoulder where he perched, just daring the girl to try and grab him back.

Fortunately Teddy was ridiculously good at comforting people, and before the girl knew it she was smiling like this was all one big adventure and actually skipped on her way out of the room and into the hallway that would lead to the dormitories. Once she was out of sight Teddy gently picked him up off his shoulder, the boy's hands wrapped around his waist to hold him in front of him so that they were eye to eye.

"I don't know what the hell just got into you, letting her use you like a teddy bear when you normally won't let anyone but me so much as touch your head. Either way, you did good, Noir."

And then Teddy kissed his forehead and Regulus didn't know how to react to that so he decided to continue playing nice kitty. The less he thought about the kiss and the fact he'd just let himself be used like a stuffed animal the better.

)

After making sure that everyone was in their rooms and that the noise levels weren't higher than one expected on the first day back to Hogwarts, Teddy headed for his own room with Noir in his arms. Once there the first thing he did after greeting his roommates was to tell them up front not to touch Noir unless the circumstances were life and death. They'd live longer that way. Of course they thought it was a joke, he could see it on their faces, so again he stated that they were to leave Noir alone and figured that whatever happened next would be on their heads so to speak. Though he'd feel bad about it, if Noir really got a piece of one of them. Thankfully the Medical Wing wasn't that far away in the grand scheme of things. Plus he had told the cat repeatedly that if he behaved really nasty he wouldn't be able to stay at Hogwarts. He hadn't thought it would sink in regardless of how smart the cat seemed to be, but Noir had let that little first year use him for comfort and that was completely out of character for him. Maybe he was mellowing.

Yeah, probably not.

Having placed Noir on his bed Teddy told him to stay put and then turned his attention to getting ready for bed while he shot the breeze with the other boys, catching up on what was new with them since the last time they'd spoken or sent a letter to each other. He wasn't particularly close with any of them, but they were good guys and he felt fairly lucky given the horror stories he'd heard from other people. Victoire was constantly bitching about how one of the girls she roomed with was constantly borrowing her make up or asking to wear her clothes, and as much as he loved Fred Teddy didn't doubt for a minute that that particular Weasley was hell to room with given his love of experimentation outside the classroom. The worst he had to deal with was Tobias's snoring, and all he had to do was put a spell around his bed to block out that noise.

The only noises he'd have to deal with tonight would come from Noir, Teddy thought as he looked over at the cat in question, who appeared to be ignoring all of them at the moment. Noir always slept beside him under the covers, like he thought he was a person too, and he tended to purr rather loudly in his sleep. Not that he minded so much, it was actually kinda adorable.

"So this is the latest addition to your zoo, Lupin?" Coming over to get a peek Stephen studied Noir with some interest, since normally Teddy was a little too much like Professor Hagrid when it came to wearing binders when it came to the dangers posed by various creatures. That Teddy was actually warning them away from this one suggested there was more to the cat then met the eye.

"Yeah. Found him wandering outside the house, no collar or anyone looking for him as far as I could tell. I think his last home was abusive because he's fairly tame unless you touch him, then he tends to go feral. I'm the only one he can stand usually."

"I won't risk it then."

"Good plan." Turning his attention to Garrick Teddy asked how things were going between him and his latest girlfriend. Last time they'd chatted things had been rocky.

"She dumped me." Heaving the sigh of someone who was constantly having girlfriend problems, Garrick came over to take a seat on the edge of Teddy's bed, keeping well away from the cat for the moment, though he was planning to try and make nice with the feline later. "So is the lovely Dominique single at the moment, or is she still dating that werewolf?"

"Still dating Christopher, yes." Teddy moved closer to set a quelling hand on his friend's shoulder. "And if you think Victoire's countless rejections hurt, you don't even want to try with Domi. She'd reject you and then Christopher would beat the crap out of you."

"Ah Victoire, my pitiless angel. How she breaks my heart each and every day." Garrick sighed dramatically, ignoring the groans of the other three boys who rightly feared the teenager would go into some poetic monologue about Victoire Weasley's beauty and femme fatale ways.

Flopped on his bed, which was beside Teddy's, Tobias said the same thing they'd been telling Garrick since Victoire's first year. "Give it up, Man. That one's only interested in one bloke at this school and it's not you."

Feeling all eyes moving to him Teddy hunched his shoulders defensively, not wanting to get into this argument again. He'd grown up with Victoire since they were toddler and baby, like family from her day one so to speak. The idea of dating her, it was completely weird and it was just never going to happen.

Noir would become a sweet, cuddly ball of fluff first.


End file.
